A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Saint Thomas vs. Death Valley National Park for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Saint Thomas or Death Valley National Park?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Saint Thomas or Death Valley National Park? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Saint Thomas or Death Valley National Park?

Saint Thomas

Saint Thomas is a beautiful island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Together with St. John, St. Croix, and Water Island, it forms the unincorporated territory of the United States. The island is also home to the territorial capital and port of Charlotte Amalie. The island's population is just over 50,000, which is slightly less than half of the territory's total population.

Death Valley National Park

With over 3.4 million acres of desert and mountains, the sights of Death Valley encompass sweeping viewpoints, scenic drives, dunes, craters, and colors that change with the course of the sun. Historically, a few Native American cultures are known to have lived in the area, mostly nomadic. The first Europeans to stumble upon the area were a group drawn by the California Gold Rush. Forced to abandon their wagons, they were eventually able to hike out of the valley. Upon leaving, one traveler called it Death Valley and the name stuck.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United States of America, and The Best Historical Tours in United States of America.


Which place is cheaper, Death Valley National Park or Saint Thomas?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Saint Thomas is $218, while the average daily cost in Death Valley National Park is $87. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Saint Thomas and Death Valley National Park in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Saint Thomas $131
    Death Valley National Park $37
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Saint Thomas $262
    Death Valley National Park $74
Compare Hotels in Saint Thomas and Death Valley National Park

Looking for a hotel in Saint Thomas or Death Valley National Park? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Saint Thomas


Hotels in Death Valley National Park


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Saint Thomas $37
    Death Valley National Park $41
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Saint Thomas

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Saint Thomas are as follows:


  • Scooter Rental
    $65
  • Taxi Ride
    $5.00

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Thomas

Also for Saint Thomas, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from Charlotte Amalie Port to Charlotte Amalie: $28
  • Cyril E. King Airport STT to Charlotte Amalie Arrival Transfer: $49
  • Charlotte Amalie to Cyril E. King Airport(STT)-Departure Transfer: $49
  • St Thomas to St Thomas Airport Private Departure Transfer: $109
  • St Thomas Airport to St Thomas Arrival Private Transfer: $109
  • Cyril E.King Airport (STT) to St.Thomas-Arrival Private Transfer : $109
  • St.Thomas island to Cyril E. King Airport(STT)-Departure Transfer: $109
  • PARADISE TAXI & TOURS USVI-St.Thomas-Airport Transfer to Marriott Frenchman Cove: $110
  • Paradise Taxi & Tours USVI-St.Thomas-Airport Transfer Bluebeard’s / Yacht Haven: $110
  • Vi Top Taxi -St.Thomas Airport Transfer to Marriott Frenchman Cove : $110
  • Vi Top Taxi &Tours -Airport Transfer Bluebeard's/Yacht Haven : $110
  • Vi Top Taxi & Tours -Airport Transfer to Bolongo Bay/ Limetree: $110

Is it cheaper to fly into Saint Thomas or Death Valley National Park?

Prices for flights to both Death Valley National Park and Saint Thomas change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Saint Thomas $54
    Death Valley National Park $20

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint Thomas

For Saint Thomas, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Sunset & Harbor Lights Dinner Sail from the Marriott's Frenchman's Cove: $109
  • Afternoon Snorkel, Pizza & Sunset Tour departing from St. Thomas & St. John: $110
  • Flavors of St Thomas Walking Food Tour : $111
  • St. John Dinner Sail to Lovango with Open Bar and Hors d'Oeuvres - Westin: $119
  • Cruz Bay - PiZZA Pi Snorkel Sail: $159
  • St. Thomas Dinner Sail to Lovango w/ Open Bar and Hors D'oeuvres - Ritz-Carlton: $159
  • PiZZA Pi Snorkel Sail from Frenchman's Reef: $169
  • Waterfront Harbor Dinner Sail from Frenchman's Reef: $209
  • St Thomas Legends Luxury Dinner Sail from the Ritz Carlton: $209
  • Swim w/Turtles at St. John, Pizza Pi & Snorkel a shipwreck. : $250

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Saint Thomas $60
    Death Valley National Park $36

Tours and Activities in Saint Thomas

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Saint Thomas.

  • Unforgettable Charlotte Amalie: Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
  • Nature and Sightseeing Tour at Phantasea Tropical Botanical Garden: $16
  • Scavenger Hunt Adventure in the US Virgin Islands: $27
  • Coral World Ocean Park General Admission Ticket: $29
  • Admission Ticket to Coral World Ocean Park & Coki Beach: $35
  • Admission Ticket to Coral World & Coki Point Beach with Snorkeling: $40
  • Cruise Ship Port Shuttle to St John Ferry : $44
  • Cruise Ship Suttle to Ferry going to St. John: $45
  • Sunset Kayak Tour in the Mangrove Lagoon, St Thomas: $49
  • Paradise Taxi & Tours USVI - St. Thomas, Virgin Islands- Island Scenic Tour: $49
  • Saint Thomas Half-Day Shopping and Sightseeing Tour: $55
  • Two-Hour Sightseeing Excursion : $58

Tours and Activities in Death Valley National Park

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Death Valley National Park are as follows:

  • Death Valley Self Guided Audio Driving Tour: $15
  • Death Valley on Mojave Desert VIP Small Group Tour from Las Vegas: $219

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Saint Thomas $27
    Death Valley National Park $8.57

Sample the Local Flavors in Saint Thomas

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Saint Thomas:

  • Wine Tasting with Fine Art Downtown Experience: $60


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Saint Thomas and Death Valley National Park, we can see that Saint Thomas is more expensive. And not only is Death Valley National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Saint Thomas is in Caribbean Islands and Death Valley National Park is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Death Valley National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Death Valley National Park and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Saint Thomas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Thomas than you might in Death Valley National Park.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Saint Thomas Expensive? and Is Death Valley National Park Expensive?.


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